Various forms of plastic identification cards bearing a stripe of magnetic medium have come into widespread use. Although many systems for use with such cards include apparatus to drive the card in relation to transducer apparatus, other systems require manual movement of the card in relation to the transducers. One such manual system is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,789, entitled "Mannually Operated Magnetic Card Encoder" and granted Oct. 21, 1975.
Generally, prior manually operated card systems have a slot with open ends to guide the card as it is moved across magnetic transducers. In such structures, both sensing and recording transducers have been used. Generally, the successful operation of such apparatus necessitates smooth aligned motion of the card. However, unfortunately the manual motion of the card is sometimes erratic to the extent that the transducers malfunction. For example, in some instances the card is moved to the extent that the recording apparatus operates in an improper track and accordingly can render the card inoperative for future use. Consequently, a need exists for an improved apparatus to control the manual movement of magnetic stripe cards along a predetermined path in more consistent motion patterns.
Some systems relying on manual motion for magnetic transducers involve repeated passes of the card over the transducers. For example, during an initial pass, the stripe might be sensed for certain information. After the information is provided to the system, another pass may involve recording fresh data on the card. Traditionally, such apparatus operates during multiple passes of the card through an open-ended slot. Such multiple passes increase the possibilities for an erratic motion patterns. Again, for such systems a need exists to improve a manually operated card transducer which effectively steers and controls the card.
The present invention is based on recognizing a desirable guide structure for manually moving a magnetic stripe card in relation to transducers and providing the associated controls. Specifically, structure of the system defines a closed-end slot for guiding a magnetic card and attaining more consistent motion patterns in relation to an offset transducer arrangement. The system also incorporates structure for sensing fresh recorded data for verifying that cards have been correctly recorded. Thus, the system involves interrelated structures for guiding a card, sensing its position to correlate operations, and reading a card as recorded with an offset to confirm proper recording of the card.